The Days We Lost
by SanctuaryAgent
Summary: Almost 19 years have passed since Emma disappeared after becoming the Dark One and someone is finally summoning her home with an important message to get to her. How will she take it? And how much has changed? SQ One-Shot WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH


_**The Days We Lost…**_

A cool chill washed through the air and wove between the branches of the trees as twilight fell across the woods that bordered the small town in the distance. Dry leaves rustled on their branches as they feebly waved up and down in the late autumn breeze. Many branches were now bear, their once bright green leaves now crisp and fallen onto the forest floor leaving only the evergreens to add color to the darkening woods. The only sound that could be heard other than that of nature at work was the occasional snap of a twig and the crunch of leaves as a pair of leather boot clad feet made their way across the forest floor. With the cover of night quickly consuming the forest a young girl made her way between the trees in silence, her golden brown eyes looking past the thick brown trunks clearly searching for something in the dark landscape ahead of her. She was not extremely tall but not short either, her skin was sun kissed but in the growing shadows looked much fairer though the tip of her nose and her cheeks were turning slightly pink from the cold. Under a light purple beanie loose dark brunette almost black curls fell like a silky waterfall down her back stopping midway. Her face was young and pretty with dark perfectly plucked eyebrows, whiskey brown eyes, and full naturally red lips that though frowning at the moment looked as though they had witnessed many smirks and smiles. She couldn't have been any older than seventeen but seemed to carry herself with maturity far beyond her years. As she walked the teenager dug her hands even further into the pockets of her grey wool coat, the cool air nipping at any exposed skin. Her shoulders were hunched as she hid her neck from the cold and carried onwards determined to reach her destination.

She was no stranger to the woods that grew around her home town but this part of the forest was rarely traveled in years past. She had heard stories of this part of the woods and knew from what her older brother told her that not too far ahead of where she was now stood a well that was said to be magical and would return something lost to whoever wished to find it. That was what she had to do now, it was her duty to find something lost, someone lost and to give them something that was supposed to help them.

The task confused her; it didn't make sense at all that she would be able to help someone she didn't know find themselves again. But it was her duty, a final request made by the person closest to her heart.

The old stone well came into sight through the trees and the girl wondered how the eerie stone work would look on a sunny day when each stone was whole and in place instead of crumbled to the ground and covered in moss and leaves with the roof broken through and the rope and bucket long gone. She imagined that the structure had once been beautiful and wonderful with glorious magic dwelling within ready to give back whatever one most desired to have again. For an instant she considered perhaps taking this opportunity for herself and making a wish to have back that which her heart longed for most, but deep down she knew that no magic could ever be that powerful, no wish could ever give back to her what was lost.

Taking a breath she took a careful step forward and stepped cautiously up onto the cracked stone platform of the well. Slowly she approached the opening to the stone structure until she could lean forward and glance into the void of darkness below. Taking in a sharp breath at the cold damp gust that rushed up to meet her she fought all her instincts and stood in place. Carefully she reached into her brown leather side bag and curled her fingers around the cool metal object inside. Simply touching the object gave her a feeling of power that made her scared, she had no idea how anyone could carry this with them constantly. Licking her lips she removed the object from the bag and held her arm out over the well moving it in a circular motion the object gripped tightly in her hand.

"E-Emma Swan I summon thee!" She commanded as firmly as she could though uncertainty and even a small amount of fear managed to worm their way into her voice. The silver and black dagger in her hand with the Dark One's name written upon it was something she had heard of in many stories meant to scare her when she was small, now to be holding it in her own hand was almost just as terrifying.

Holding her breath for several seconds she waited for something to happen. She had no clue what to expect. Was the well supposed to spew out the Dark One? Was the dagger supposed to glow? Would some deformed scale covered being come crawling out of the well right at her? The thought of such a thing happening gave her goose-bumps on top of her goose-bumps. But as she waited nothing happened, there was no light, no spewing, nothing at all. Letting her breath out, her lungs aching for air she shifted uncomfortably for a moment before again saying, "Emma Swan I summon thee!"

"I heard you the first time ya know." A voice came from behind the girl and she jumped in surprise her heart stopping as she almost dropped the Dark One's dagger into the well.

Whirling around she was even more surprised to discover the appearance of the person behind her. This was not the scale covered reptilian eyes she-demon that the older boys at school had told her about when she was little. Instead in front of her stood a woman with pale skin and dark green eyes, her hair was blonde and hung freely over her shoulders. She was dressed in a simple light grey tank top with a dark grey leather jacket and jeans with black lace up knee high combat boots. She was not terrifying or hideous, if anything the girl thought she looked quite pretty but sad and tired.

Clearly tired of being stared at the blonde sighed and shook her head, "Would you quite staring kid?"

Instantly the girls already pink cheeks grew a few shades brighter and her brown eyes widened in embarrassment. "Sorry!" She gasped and looked away.

The blonde stood there waiting for a few more seconds before rolling her eyes, "Look kid, you summoned me here for a reason. What do you want?" She asked with a frown.

Shuffling her feet slightly the girl rubbed her upper arm with her free hand and kept her gaze down trying to figure out how to find the right words.

Emma felt a spark of irritation ignite within her as she watched the girl shuffle and look at the ground. "What the hell do you want kid? You've got the most powerful being in any realm at your command! Do you want to go to a ball? Get a good grade on a test? Find out if your boyfriend is cheating on you?" She practically yelled. "Oh let me guess you probably want to go out to a party but your mom wants you to stay home and study or have a girls night or something like that, so you want me to magically distract her so you can sneak out and not get caught!?"

Suddenly something clicked inside the girl as the blonde yelled the last comment, any fear or uncertainty disappeared as if it had never existed. Her head snapped up and her suddenly wet whiskey brown eyes met the dark emerald eyes of the powerful sorceress in front of her. "SHUT UP! SHUT THE HELL UP!" She screamed and tears ran down her cheeks. "I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO BE ABLE TO SEE MY MOTHER AGAIN! THERE IS NOTHING I WANT MORE THAN TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A GIRLS NIGHT WITH HER AGAIN OR EVEN HAVE HER YELL AT ME FOR NOT CLEANING UP OR TELL ME I CAN'T GO OUT BECAUSE I NEED TO STUDY! THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAT I COULD WANT THAN THAT!" She cried out loudly and looked at the blonde with fury and pain. "BUT I CAN NEVER HAVE THAT AGAIN!" She screamed and didn't realize how firmly she was now gripping the dagger in her hand, her knuckles turning white.

The blonde looked at the girl with her mouth closed and her eyes surprised and even hints of shame glittering in their surface.

Taking several breaths the girl swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to rein in her tears. With a shaky exhale she hissed, "Go ahead and say something."

The hurt in the girls' voice made Emma look away speechlessly for a moment even though she had been given permission to speak. After taking a deep breath she looked back over at the girl and composed herself. "Is that why you summoned me? Do you want me to find you mom?" She inquired carefully.

The girl in front of her looked heartbroken by her question and shook her head, her shoulders visibly deflating. "You can't…" She uttered just loud enough for Emma to hear. "She's dead."

Emma shifted uncomfortably as the girl informed her that her mother was deceased. She felt sorry for the girl due to the fact that it was clear as to how much she loved her mother, but against death even she was powerless. "I'm sorry." Emma said finally to the stranger. "I can't bring back the dead…but I can get rid of the pain if that would help?" She offered.

The girl closed her eyes and shook her head. "No… I didn't summon you hear for my own needs." She informed the blonde in a broken tone of voice. "I was asked to give you something." She said softly and took a few steps forward towards the Dark One. "My mother asked me to give you this." She held out an envelope.

Emma paused and looked from the envelope to the girl, something about the teenager looked familiar, seemed familiar. Carefully Emma took the envelope and turned it over, her heart leapt out of her chest and she felt winded when she saw the elegant hand writing used to address the envelope. Instantly the blonde's free hand flew over her mouth as she looked at the beautiful queenly penmanship that could only belong to Regina.

Looking up with wide wet emerald green eyes Emma looked at the girl in front of her and realized why she was so familiar. The girl looked so much like Regina, if the blonde had taken time to actually look at her when she was first summoned she would have realized it right away, the girl was almost a spitting image of her mother.

"Re-Regina is your mother?" She gasped, her eyes burning with tears as she stared up at the teenager in front of her.

The girl nodded and saw a tear race down the blonde's cheek. "My name is Alexandra Mills." She informed the blonde with as steady of a voice as she could muster. "And Regina Mills is-" She paused and closed her eyes, a crystal teardrop escaping between her dark lashes. "was my mother." She corrected herself with a soft sob.

Emma felt like she had just been hit in the gut with a metal baseball bat. Her mind screamed to her that what the teenager was telling her couldn't be true, that Regina couldn't be dead, that nothing and no one could ever kill someone so vital and so powerful… that someone as loving and wonderful as Regina could not just be swept up and taken away for all of time. "No." Emma uttered and suddenly her emerald green gaze turned dark and bore into the girl. "You are lying to me! You should never have come here!" The once savior growled and with a swift movement of her hand she grasped the girl in her magical dark grasp and raised her from the ground by her throat.

Alexandra's eyes bulged as her legs kicked out desperately at the air. Her nails clawed at her neck trying to rip herself away from the magic that held her suspended above the ground with little to no air able to get to her lungs. Through her struggles the girl managed to choke out, "T-the….l-l-let-ter…" Her face grew red and began to change into a shade closer to purple.

The ex-savior glared at the girl, inside her the darkness yelped happily at the feeling of a life slipping away through the power of its grasp. Emma's eyes remained locked on Alexandra's struggling air deprived form determined to snuff the life out of it when suddenly it wasn't Alexandra suspended in the air any more. The blonde's eyes widened in surprise and alarm when instead she saw Regina suspended in mid-air looking at her, the former queen looked the same way she did on the night long ago when Zelena had held her in a strangling hold much like the one Emma held now. Gasping in alarm Emma immediately dropped her hold and held her hand to her chest terrified of the idea that she could have hurt Regina.

Alexandra hit the ground hard, landing on her side as the savior suddenly dropped her magical hold on her. The teen gasped and coughed harshly, her chest heaving as she greedily swallowed as much air as she could in order to soften the pain in her burning lungs.

Emma blinked several times and shook her head; she looked over at ground where Alexandra lay recovering from being magically strangled. The blonde took a step back and put her hand on her head, her heart racing and her mind reeling. She could have sworn she had seen Regina in the air but the familiar brunette was nowhere to be seen.

"Just…look at…the…letter." Alexandra wheezed softly as she remained on the ground recovering.

Emma heard the girl and looked down at the ground where on the crisp autumn leaves lay the envelope with her name written in the beautifully curved script of the queen. With a slight heartbeat of hesitation the blonde knelt down and picked up the parchment delicately. Rising to her feet again she looked at the envelope and took a deep breath willing herself not to cry as she caught the slightest hint of the warm comforting perfume that always put Emma's heart at ease. Looking at her name on the envelope a final time Emma turned it over and placed her thumb under the flap, sliding the digit along to open the letter. Once she had the letter in her hand Emma felt herself sink back down to the ground knowing she would be unable to support herself the moment she began to read.

 _Dear Miss Swan,_

 _I can only hope that Alexandra will have been able to deliver this letter to you. If you are reading this then I can only assume she succeeded, I hope she has._

 _Emma, I've missed you. All of these years, each day, every hour…I've missed you. Please believe me. I have never forgotten about you, none of us have. I never gave up on finding a way to help you and I need you to know that, please know that._

 _After you disappeared I spent days, weeks even in my vault buried in any and all of the books I could find. Henry was trying to help, he wanted to help you so badly, he misses you so much. He still does._

 _Your parents went to the fairies to look for help; they hoped that perhaps pixie dust might be able to aid you in some way. Hook was miserable, he and Belle searched through all of Gold's shop for some way to free you from the dagger._

 _I've had your dagger all these years, I've kept it close to me, protected it. But I could never bring myself to call for you with it. I had hoped that one day you would return, when you were ready. I never felt I had the right to summon you against your will, I still don't. You deserve to have control, I could never take that ways from you, you deserve freedom Emma. Your parents have had a hard time understanding my decision on not summoning you, but Henry never has. He agrees that you would only have left us for so long because you need to, because you feel it is what's best. You've stayed away for so long Emma, I have missed you._

 _I can only assume that you might wonder about Alexandra. Yes, she is my daughter, my beautiful blessing._

 _Her father is Robin, but you probably already guessed that. Robin and I, well…we tried to find what was once there between us. We tried to find true love in each other again; we were married about a year after you left. I was never supposed to be able to have children, but Blue somehow found a rare potion that allowed me to. Alexandra was the product of it. Her name means 'protector of man' but I like to believe it also means savior._

 _As I said earlier, Robin and I tried to find love with each other again. But after several years of marriage we both knew that it wasn't meant to be. I was spending any spare moment that I wasn't with Henry, Roland, or Alexandra in my office or vault trying to find some way that I could help you. Robin was the first to actually address the issue verbally. He was very kind, very understanding. He knew that I could never love him the way he loved me, he knew that he was not my true love. I had yet to fully realize it, but he was right. My heart did not belong to him, he was a good friend and a good father, he was a wonderful husband…but he was not my true love. It took me so long to realize it Emma, but my heart always knew it even if my conscience was blind. Robin wasn't my true love because you were right all those years ago. Actions do speak louder than words. My heart belonged to the person who saved me from myself, the person who challenged me, the person who fought against me and for me, the person who always believed in me and gave away their happiness to protect mine. My heart belongs to you Emma._

 _I know that now it is too late, the days we lost are gone forever and there are very few left in my future. But I love you Emma Swan. I love you still after all these years; I love you with all my heart and I promise that my love for you will exist even when I am gone. Alexandra knows. She knows that I am in love with you; she promised that she would find a way to get this letter to you. Henry figured it out too, but I fear that if he saw you that he might try to make you stay. Alexandra knows that staying or leaving is your choice._

 _Miss Swan I wish with all my heart that I could have had the chance to tell you in person the way I feel for you. You have my heart and you've had it for a long time, for years. My illness came on fast and ferociously, there was little the doctors could do and unfortunately all attempts to fight it have failed. I am dying and as you read this then you have already been made aware that I have passed. I am at peace with this fate; I have lived a long life. My only regrets are that I am now forced to miss the lives of my children and that I did not get to share this life with you. If I could go back and find a way to share these past years with you I would. I would share all my happiness with you because you are the reason it exists, you Emma Swan are a part of my happiness._

 _Thank you for all you have given me Miss Swan. Because of you I have Henry and Alexandra; I have light in my heart and happiness in my memories. Your sacrifice has given me these things. All I have to offer you is my love for you. I do not know how valuable it may be to you but it is yours, now and forever. I'm sorry I could never tell you in person. I do love you Emma. I miss you and I'm sorry that this goodbye is the first and last time I have told you my feelings._

 _You are my happy ending and I have never forgotten you, you are always in my heart._

 _I love you Miss Swan._

 _Goodbye-_

 _Regina_

Emma's lip trembled as her mouth was parted slightly in a look of complete and utter heart break and pain. Grief filled tears raced down her cheeks and curved with her jaw dripping onto the parchment held in her shaking hands leaving wet splotches upon the note. Her emerald green eyes were red from the salty tears that burned her eyes making the agony that surged within her even more visible.

Alexandra watched the blonde from where she lay on a bed of leaves several feet away. Her throat burned and her neck ached from the bruising grip of the magic that had held her only moments ago. But what hurt the most was her heart, with each beat it ached more and more for the blonde who slouched on the forest floor only a few feet away from her. She watched in silence as the woman's shoulders shook with grief and her blonde hair fell like a curtain over her face as she hung her head and cried. To see the blonde break down the way she was only reminded Alexandra with an agonizing force just how much she herself had lost. The teen felt the constant sorrow that ate away at her heart grow as she watched this stranger morn for her mother. It hurt so badly that she dug her nails into the ground as heartbroken tears escaped the corners of her eyes. She had been trying to keep up her calm and detached mask ever since her mother died, she had been trying to keep people from worrying about her, but now she couldn't hide anymore. Alexandra gasped and sobbed, her shoulders shaking as she let the tears race freely down her face. Since the day her mother left her for all of time she had been holding herself together, but now she let herself break down because that's what she was. She was broken, she was lost, without her mother she felt alone and scared like a child in the dark, unaided and afraid.

Suddenly Emma's quiet sobs evolved into a terrifying and thunderous howl of heartbreak as she flung her head up to face the heavens. Lightning flashed across the sky in that instant and the cold winds picked up as thunder boomed in the dark clouds growing overhead. With each heart wrenching cry that escaped the blonde's lips a ground shaking clap of thunder echoed it. Emma's hair whipped around her face as the wind blasted through the trees picking up leaves in a whirlwind fueled by the Dark Ones grief. She held the letter tightly against her chest, pressing it to the spot right over her heart as if she believed holding it there would help to alleviate the pain of the organs sudden breaking.

The wind and leaves swirled around the clearing like a vacuum with each passing moment causing its power to grow. Out of pure instinct Alexandra curled herself into a tight ball on the ground and wrapped her hands behind her neck to try and protect her head from the flying debris. As she lay in the curled up position with fear pumping though her blood she closed her tear filled eyes tightly and clenched her jaw. Instantly she found herself wishing that her mother would come swooping in to protect her. As the wind howled in her ears and the thunder crashed she felt as though she had been reverted back to when she was five and was still terrified of thunder storms. She couldn't help but feel herself being pulled back into her memories of dark stormy nights when she would curl up under her covers and scream and cry at each flash of lightning and clap of thunder. Back then the only cure to her fear had been the warm embrace of her mother as she came rushing into her room like some wondrous guardian. That is what her mother had always been to her, a warm, powerful, wonderful guardian who loved her wholly and unconditionally. Her mother had been there for her and with her through every trial she faced and every blow she took, she had helped her through her first break up and she had been her comfort after she experienced her first loss. Alexandra remembered how her mother had always been there for her, but also from even a time before her birth Alexandra knew that her mother had been there for Emma, searching for a way to help the blonde that she loved so much. Now the blonde was here and in pain just like she was, they were both feeling the agony born by her mother's death, now her mother could not be there for either of them.

Opening her eyes Alexandra peered through the crack between her arms and watched the Dark One cry out in grief as lighting flared through the sky above her. The teenager knew the blonde's pain; it was the same pain she felt. She knew that her mother couldn't be there for either of them but more than that she knew that her mother would want them to be there for each other. Her mother loved her and Emma. With a deep breath Alexandra unfurled her body and with shaky limbs the teen managed to pick herself up off the ground and rise to her feet. The wind blew fiercely around her causing her dark hair to fly all around her head and she squinted her eyes as she began struggling to make her way towards the blonde.

"Emma!" She called out over the howling wind. "You have to stop this!" She begged as she approached the blonde.

Emma's world felt mute through the haze of her emotions. As the winds soared around her and the thunder and lightning consumed the sky above, all she could hear with blank nothingness, not even her own cries.

Realizing her words were falling on deaf ears Alexandra surged forward against the wind. She knew that talking to the former savior in a way that sounded like stopping the pain was a simple thing would do no good. So as she grew closer to the blonde's side the teen fell to her knees bringing herself to Emma's level and over the roaring wind she yelled. "It hurts! I know it hurts! I have felt it every day; it has been my constant companion ever since the moment she left! People told me it would get easier! They said the pain would fade! But it doesn't! I knew for months that my time with her was limited! Archie and Granny and Mary Margret and everyone, they all tried to help me be ready for when she was gone! She tried to help me! She tried to make sure I would be alright when her time came! Everyone thought that this was something that they could prepare me for, as if it were some sort of…I don't know…test! But the truth is that no matter how much they tried to prepare me! No matter how 'okay' they thought I would be! I wasn't! Nothing can prepare you for a loss like this! No one could ever be okay after they lose a person they love!" She gasped and shook her head. "The worst part is that more than anything I wanted to believe that I was okay! I fooled myself into thinking I was!" She cried with tears streaming down her face. "My mother tried so hard to ensure my happiness! She wanted me to be able to go on with life after she left! I wanted to be strong for her but in reality she was the one being strong for me!" Alexandra looked at Emma; she hoped that opening up to the blonde on a personal level might help her to be heard. "My mother loved US Emma! She loved me! She loved YOU! The letter she wrote to you she wrote the night before she died! She needed for you to know what she felt for you! She loved you Emma!"

The distant look in Emma's emerald eyes began to fade as the blonde's ears started to hear the world around her once again. The pain she felt did not lessen as she heard Alexandra's voice, the teen sounded soft and distant but as Emma became more and more aware of her reality Alexandra's words grew louder and louder. "I…I can't do this…" Emma stuttered and shook her head, a crystal tear forming and falling from her wide green eyes.

Alexandra just barely heard the blonde's softly spoken words over the howling winds. Her heart ached for this stranger in front of her. "Neither can I." She admitted. "And I at least got time to say goodbye to her Emma, you didn't…" She paused and reached her hand out, placing it over top of the blonde's. "But you should." She determined and hoped to catch the blonde's eyes.

Emma heard the girl's words and felt a spike of bitterness in her heart, but it quickly melted away when she felt the teen's hand on top of hers and heard the determination in her words. Looking up into the whiskey brown eyes that looked so much like those of her lost love, she blinked. "I want to." She uttered. "I want to say goodbye."

Alexandra gave Emma and nod of her head. "You can." She promised and looked into the blonde's eyes for a few heartbeats before turning her head upwards to look at the sky. "But first you have to stop this Emma. Stop the storm Emma." She stated loudly so the woman in front of her could hear her.

Emma took a deep breath and closed her eyes; she felt several more tears escape her lashes as she worked to cap the magic and emotions that roared inside her. With a slow and steady exhale she commanded the thunder, lightning and winds to stop and return to normal. Regaining control over her magic was the easy part, handling her emotions however took far more out of her. All around her the leaves began to settle back upon the forest floor and the now night draped sky cleared enough to see several brightly glowing stars. With a sag of her shoulders Emma opened her eyes and looked at Alexandra. "Please take me to her." She uttered softly, her plea no louder than a whisper.

Alexandra nodded and ran her hand across her cheeks, attempting to wipe away her tears. "Follow me." She breathed.

.

.

.

As the moon and stars shone brightly overhead casting a soft glow onto the world beneath, two figures stood side by side in front of a beautifully cared tombstone. One blonde and the other dark brunette the contrasted each other as they stood with their heads bowed and their eyes settled upon the markings engraved within the stone planted in front of them. For long silent moments the two stood side by side, barely moving and never uttering a word. It wasn't until emerald eyes glanced over into golden brown ones asking a silent favor that one of them moved.

Alexandra knelt down and pressed her lips to her fingers before placing her hand upon the tombstone. "I'll leave you two together now." She whispered to the stone. "I'll come back tomorrow Mama. I promise." She ran her fingers over the top of the rock. "I love you Mama." And with that the girl wiped away her tears and took a deep breath before standing up and with a last glance she turned away from the stone and walked to the edge of the grave yard.

Emma watched the girl go and couldn't help but feel sorry for the now motherless seventeen year old. With a heart full of grief and a mind filled with unspoken words the blonde stepped forward and knelt down in front of the grave. At first she felt as though her words would never come and she would be unable to speak them clearly even if they did. She swallowed hard and bent her head, leaning it against the cold stone with her true loves name carved upon it. Taking a heartbeat Emma breathed in and out again, her hands resting upon the cool earth.

"Hey Regina." She began and felt her heart break painfully as she knew she would get no response. "I uh…I got your letter." She continued and attempted to make her voice as calm as possible. "Yeah ummm… Alexandra got it to me…she seems like a good kid. She is a lot like you…at least from what I've seen." The blonde rambled for a moment before taking another deep breath in an attempt to calm herself. "Going back to the letter; I'm sorry I never came back…I just felt like…like I couldn't be here anymore. I felt dangerous and…I thought that I might hurt all of you if I returned." She explained but sighed and shook her head; she could feel the rock against the soft skin on her forehead. "No…that's just the lame excuse I told myself." She admitted and felt the familiar burn of tears forming in her eyes. "I was scared Regina. I was scared because I didn't know what I would do-" She stopped abruptly and gasped. "I didn't know what might happen if I had to live every day watching you and Robin. I was scared of what this darkness inside me might make me do. I…I wanted you to be happy. I didn't want my darkness to end up hurting anyone that I loved." She whimpered as she continued to lean her head against the tombstone. "But it did. I was selfish and I hurt you all by not coming back. I hurt y…you by not coming back." She cried. "You died without ever getting to see me again. I had no clue…I never knew…I never imagined that you could feel the way for me that I feel for you." Emma sobbed and reached a hand up to press against the tombstone. "Because I do love you Regina, I love you with all that I am and no amount of darkness or time will ever be able to change that. And even though I am immortal I can feel that inside of me there is a part of my heart that has gone with you into the grave." She cried. "So please Regina, please hold it close and know that it is, was, and always shall be yours." The blonde swore and slowly opened her eyes looking at the carvings on the tombstone.

 _ **Regina Mills**_

 _ **Beloved Mother, Mayor, Queen, and Friend**_

 _ **A Hero Loved and Missed**_

Emma read the words and felt as though they could never be enough to truly capture the hole left in the world or the true priceless treasure that had been lost. She looked at the elegant carvings of horses and an apple tree on the stone and wordlessly she touched her fingers to the cold polished surface. When she removed her hand and looked once again at the stone she couldn't help but let a small smile pull at her lips as she saw the work she had done. Now instead of there just being and apple tree with horses beside it, there carved into the stone was an image of Regina with her head resting lovingly against the horses face and her hand gently petting its cheek. Emma knelt there by the stone looking at the image she had added and for a few heartbeats she sat there in silence. Leaning forward she gently placed her lips upon the stone giving it a soft kiss. "Goodbye Regina." She uttered and waved her hand making a red rose appear. Quietly she placed the flower on top of the grave and in silence she stood up giving the tombstone a final glance before turning to approach Alexandra.

Alexandra stood calmly at the edge of the cemetery, her hands holding the strap of her leather side bag and her eyes watching as the blonde left her mother's grave. She smile softly and hoped that her mother was happy now that the woman she loved finally knew it and loved her in return. As Emma approached the teen she stepped forward to meet her. "Want to stop by Granny's?" She offered knowing that some good comfort food would do both of them some good. "My treat." She added.

Emma looked at the girl and gave her a small smile as she shook her head. "Thanks for the offer Alexandra, but I've got to get some things sorted out." She sighed and looked at the ground. "I've been gone a long time, I've gotten used to being on my own. I think I need some time before I jump back into the Storybrooke way of life." She admitted and knew that the decision wasn't fair to her family but that it was what she needed in order to deal with the loss of her love.

Alexandra gave Emma a look of understanding and nodded, "I get it, just know that no matter what you are always welcome back here. People haven't forgotten about you and…this is still your home." Alexandra added giving Emma a gentle smile.

Emma looked at the girl in front of her. "Thanks kid." She said and knew that even though she had just met Alexandra that she could trust the girl because Regina had raised her. "Well…see ya around I guess." Emma said and began turning to leave.

"Oh! Emma wait!" Alexandra gasped suddenly and reached into her bag. "You should take this." She said and held out the Dark One's dagger. "It's yours so you should have it. My mother kept it for all these years and I think that now, well, I think she would want it to be returned to you." She offered the hilt to Emma.

Emma looked down at the dagger that had her name curving and twisting along its blade. The darkness inside of her told her to take it so that no one could have power over her, but the part of her that was completely Emma knew better than that. Reaching her hand out she gently pushed the dagger back towards Alexandra and shook her head. "No thanks." She said and nodded towards the blade. "Regina was doing me a favor by holding on to this; I really have no desire to carry it with me." Emma admitted and looked at Alexandra. "Hold on to it for me, don't let anyone else have it. If I'm not back in town within a year then summon my butt back here and remind me." She half ordered half asked.

Alexandra held the dagger in her hand and couldn't help but feel as if a giant task had been laid upon her shoulders. It was her duty now to protect the Dark One's dagger so that no one could control Emma, it was what her mother had done and now that task was given to her. "Alright." She agreed with a nod of her head. "But Emma, what do you want me to remind you about?" She asked not fully understanding what the blonde meant.

Emma gave her a sad smile before glancing back at the grave of her true love that she lost. "Remind me that just because I have forever, doesn't mean that the people I love do too." She responded, her eyes never leaving the grave.

Alexandra followed the gaze of Emma's emerald green eyes and looked at her mother's grave. "I promise." She assured. "I promise to make sure you remember."

"Thank you." Emma uttered and gave the girl a final look, still amazed by how similar she looked to Regina. By the time Alexandra turned to face the blonde Emma was already gone.

Standing alone at the edge of the cemetery Alexandra looked back at her mother's grave. "I'll make sure she remembers." She whispered to herself and her mother. "I promise."

 **A/N: I'm sorry. I haven't written anything sad in forever and this suddenly struck me so I wrote it. Please comment and review, I hope you at least somewhat liked it. I promise I'm working on updates for my other stories, I know I'm slacking. Please forgive me. I hope you liked Alexandra and please don't hate me for killing Regina again. I love you all!**


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